ILO report to highlight Indonesian migrant workers

The Jakarta Post Jakarta

The International Labor Organization (ILO) will launch a report on Thursday, which for the first time will present comprehensive global and regional data on forced labor and call for a global alliance to eliminate the practice.

Lotte Kecser, chief technical advisor of ILO Jakarta, said here on Tuesday that the report was part of the global movement against forced labor that was designed as a follow up to the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights in the Work Place.

"The 87-page report will contain results of comprehensive and detailed analysis of forced labor. The studies present a preliminary assessment of forced labor, numbers of forced laborers, the number of victims of human trafficking and financial advantages of employing traded workers," she said.

Lotte asserted that the report was relevant for Indonesia because a part of it was based on case studies in Indonesia and on Indonesian migrant workers employed in Singapore.

She said the elimination of forced labor in Indonesia faced challenges because of unsettled core problems such as poverty and backwardness.

"Millions of people in Indonesia have been trapped into forced labor because they face serious economic problems. They are forced to work and are physically abused during their employment because they are not educated, are not skilled and are lacking information.

"Minimum standards that should be set by a global alliance are badly needed to provide protection for domestic workers and immigrants employed overseas," she said.

Former President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid concurred and said the employment of domestic workers in Indonesia was a form of slavery, which is against the amended 1945 Constitution and against human rights.

"Most domestic workers employed in families have always been employed more than the recommended eight hours per day and even until late at night. They have no day off and their salaries are often withheld until the Idul Fitri holidays at which time they are allowed to return home. They are not insured and do not receive health care when they are sick either," he said.

He said the worst negative impact of forced labor was the fact that many domestic workers fell victim to abuse and rape by their employers.

Lack of skills and language constraints have been blamed for the widespread incidence of abuse against Indonesian workers employed overseas.